Improved sled-brake



S. A & A. J. CUMMINS Sled Brake.

N0. 95,327. Patented Sept. 28,1869;

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NPETERS, PNOTD-LITHOGIAPNER, WASHINGTON. D.

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S. A. CUMMINS AND A. J. CUMMINS, OF VIENNA, NEW JERSEY.

Letters Patent No. 95,327, dated September 28, 1869; mitedatellSeptember 18, 1869.

IMPROVED SLED-BRAKE.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, S. A. Columns and A. J. OUMMINS, of Vienna, in thecounty of Warren, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Sled-Brakes; and we do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, sufficient toenable others skilled in the art to which our invention appertains, tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming part of this specification, and in which Y Figures 1 and 2 areside elevations, showing our sled-brake, and a modification of the same,applied to sleds.

Figure 3 is a partial top view of a sled, having our brake, and themodification thereof, applied to opposite sides. I I

Our invention consists in the employment of an angular lever, pivoted tothe runner,- and having pivoted to it spurs or dogs, which, as theslotted tongue, connected with the angular lever, is moved back, arecaused to penetrate the surface over which the sled is passing, and thusarrest the progress of the vehicle.

In the modification of our invention, instead of the angular lever weemploy a flat plate of metal, pivoted to the runner, and also to across-bar, connected with the sliding tongue, dogs being also hung tothis crossbar, and confined within a clevis or link, pivoted to therunner, as hereinafter fully described.

The nature of our invention will be better understood by reference tothe following description, in'com nection with 'theaccompanyingdrawings, wherein similar letters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the several figures.

In the drawings A A represent the runners of a sled, between which,

at the front, a transverse rock-bar is mounted;

This latter is provided with hounds a a, between which the tongue B isfitted to slide, being formed with a slot, I), through which pass pinsor frictionrollers e c, fixed in the bounds.

d is an arm, secured on top the tongue, near its rear end, andprojecting backward.

To this extension d is jointed a bar, 0, rigidly secured to the centreof a transverse movable bar, 0.

f is a fiat piece of metal, secured on top the bar a, and serving tolimit the vertical movement of the tongue.

To each end of the bar 0 is hung an angular lever, D, which, at itslower front end, is pivoted between plates 9 g, aflixed to the sides oftherunners.

h h are p'rojeotions, extending downward, from each side of the lever D,at its angle. These extensions enclose therunners.

In front of each projection h is hung a dog, 1', which,

by'penetrating the surface, serves to retard the motion of the sled.

When the horses are proceeding as usual, the tongue is kept forward tothe full extent of its movement.

This causes the lever D to be held up, and the dogs are not. in contactwith the surface over which the sled is passing.' But when the horsesare held in, as during the descent of a hill, the lever D is depressed,

and the dogs forced into the snow or ice, thus arresting the progress ofthe sled.

Vertical grooves (not shown) are provided in the front edge of eachprojection h, to receive the dogs, and prevent any lateral twisting orundue strain of the same. i

When backing the team, the lever D is, of course, depressed, but thedogs, by contact with the surface, are turned out of the way, so as tobe inoperative.

The modification of our sled-brake is made as follows: 4

E E are flat plates of metal, hinged between the plates g, aifixed tothe runner, and also loosely connected with the cross-bar O.

'It will be understood that there is one of these plates at each end ofbar 0.

Near each end of the bar 0, and fitted to turn thereon, are dogs F 11,one on the outside, and one on the inside of each runner.

These dogs are enclosed within a clevis or link, G, pivoted to theplates 9.

The operation of the brake just described is the same, essentially, asthat before specified, as will be obvious.

The bar 0 may be dispensed with, and the crossbar O placed over theextension (I of the tongue, and secured thereto, so as to move with it.In this case,

rods connect the extremities of bar 0 with the upper ends' of the leversD or plates E.

Our brake is simple and durable in construction, and'elfective inoperation, and is applicable to sleds of various styles, whether lightor heavy.

Having thus described our invention,

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the angular levers D, pivoted to the runners, andprovided with dogs 1' and proje'ctions h, the cross-bar O, the slottedtongue B, and the rock-bar, with hounds a, all constructed, arranged,and operating substantially as herein described.

2. The combination of the swinging dogs F, clevis G, pivoted plates E,cross-bar O, the slotted tongue.

B, and the rock-bar, with hounds a, all constructed, arranged, andoperating substantially as herein described.

To the above specification of our improvements-in witnesses.

S. A. GUMMINS.

A. J. GUMMINS.

Witnesses:

O. H. ALBERTSON, A. V. SEXTON.

